The parents of a Colorado man had to do one of the hardest things, by turning their own child in for a crime.
The man was charged with second-degree kidnapping Thursday after he tried to abduct a 10-year-old girl from outside her school.
Diego James Gettler, 28, was taken into custody Monday soon after his parents went to police and reported that they recognized him and his vehicle in surveillance photos.
Police learned about the incident when they were called to the STEM Launch School in Thornton at about 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 23.
The girl said to police, “I was dropped off at the school in the morning by my monad I was sitting on some nearby steps at the school. A man came up to me and asked if I went to the school. Then he walked passed me up the stairs, but quickly turned back around walking towards me.”
“The man made me feel uncomfortable, so I stood up as he was walking back down the stairs. He suddenly grabbed me by wrapping his hands and arms around my waist from behind,” the girl continued to recall what happened to her.
Police said at that point the girl started to scream and Gettler covered her mouth with his hands to prevent her from screaming.
Detectives stated, “She was able to grab Gettler’s face mask and pull it down. At that point, he appeared to get scared and let her go. Then he fled the scene by foot.”
Surveillance footage found by police, showed the suspect parking a gray Saturn Aura, walking towards the school and attempting to abduct the girl. Then he ran off and climbed into the passenger side of his vehicle, and then drove off.
That same day, police released surveillance footage to the public of the suspect, who was wearing a black sweatshirt with “three blue and orange Adidas symbols on the back of the hooded sweatshirt,” as well as black pants and black shoes. Police also released images of the vehicle, which had damage to its driver’s side.
Police claim a few days after releasing the pictures and alert, Gettler’s parents went to the Thornton police station on Sept. 26. They spoke to a detective and “identified Gettler as possibly being involved due to them recognizing him based on photographs from the surveillance that was released, as well as his vehicle matching the unique characteristics of the suspect vehicle in this case.
His parents stated Diego owns and operates a gray Saturn Aura which has damage on the driver side caused by an earlier car accident. His parents further confirmed Diego has to enter the vehicle from the passenger side.
Authorities said after investigating Gettler’s parents claims, they determined his cell phone was in the area when the incident occurred.
Gettler was later arrested in his car outside a Home Depot in Parker on Sept. 26.
He has been booked into the Adams County jail. A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 5.
Those parents are heroes. They saved that child’s life and turned their deranged child in Thank You !